How race walker Hayward is preparing for World Championships
Australian race walker Katie Hayward will have to prepare for one of the most unique competitions of her young career in what is one of the most technical events in track and field.
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Australian race walker Katie Hayward will have to prepare for one of the most unique competitions of her young career in what is one of the most technical events in track and field.
The 19-year-old race walker is counting down the days before her first world championship campaign, but there won’t be many quite like the challenge awaiting her at Doha.
Qatar’s incredibly hot days have forced a slight change to Hayward’s schedule for the 20km walk – her race will start at 11.30pm, and they’ll compete under a Middle East moon.
Time difference is an issue for most athletes, but the near-midnight start means she won’t have to adjust her body clock too much. However, the thermometer could still register north of 35 while she powers through the course.
“I don’t think the times will be overly fast, but saying that people could go out there and blow it away,” she said.
“The Chinese are pretty fast, there’s a few other fast nations. We’ll just see how the night goes.”
Those higher temperatures are where Athletics Australia’s training camp in Cairns could give her an edge.
“I think the heat chamber as well, it can definitely give me that extra edge,” she said.
“Even when I’m not training in the heat chamber and I’m doing sessions outside, my training really has improved.
“My reps are getting faster, my long walks are getting quicker, it’s really showing.”
Her preparation is not limited to Barlow Park. Hayward was seen early this week powering along Cairns Esplanade – as a walker, she isn’t confined to tartan tracks and can spend considerable time on roads and footpaths – but before she arrived in the Far North it took on a different look.
“For the past two months I’ve actually been in a heat chamber at (Griffith Uni),” Hayward said. “Twice a week, getting up to 36 degrees heat, high humidity and getting used to the Doha heat.”
In January, Hayward made an immediate impact in her 20km walk debut when she recorded the third fastest time in Australian history. Her 1hr 29min 25sec was the fastest by an Australian on home soil.
In April, she won the national 10km title then won gold at the World University Games in Italy in what was her senior international debut.
But when asked for her World Championship goal, there’s no mention of a medal.
She, like many other members of the Australian team are travelling to Doha with another major event in mind: the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“This is the fittest I’ve ever been in my life so I’d love to get a PB, but I’m not going to put that on me,” Hayward said.
“It will be nice. Being 19, I’ll be one of the youngest in the race so there’s that factor.
“It would be nice to finish top 20, even top 10 would be lovely. I think the goal is to go out and have fun. This is my first senior championships so it’s just to embrace it.
“It’s good prep for the Olympics, these are the girls I’m going to be competing against so just to see how they race, the tactics and learn.”
RACE WALKING: THE TECHNICAL SPORT
A 20km walk sounds like fun but it’s no stroll in the park.
Here, Katie Hayward lifts the lid on one of the most technical sports on the athletics program.
“You have to have two feet on the ground at all times, straight leg, a heel touching the ground - you have all of those factors,” Hayward said. “It’s not like going for a run where you could do (any) weird running (style), you have to stay in the zone.
“Style has to be perfection or you’re going to get that dreaded red card or that DQ and you don’t want that, especially when you’re walking so far.
“It is a very technical sport and that’s why I enjoy race walking.
“You have that extra challenge. It’s such a hard event alone with that style. You have to be (physically) fit, and mentally fit as well, and having that style factor as well. You have to keep it going the whole time. When you’re fatigued, you don’t want to let that style go, you have to keep going or you’re going to get that caution. The mind is always working. You can’t wander off in one moment and come back.”
Originally published as How race walker Hayward is preparing for World Championships
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